BARRY ENSIGN MUSICAL HISTORY
WRITTEN BY BOB RICHARDS
BARRY ENSIGN started playing guitar in the mid 50’s. By the late 50’s he was playing in bands (mainly Rhythm and Blues). The rhythms and blues was where his unique Country Rock flavour originated. The 60’s saw Barry playing from the West Coast and as far East as Toronto, Ontario.
Family life took over in the 60’s, but his love for music caused him to re-appear as a free lance guitarist in 1978. It was during this period that Barry had a chance to apply his Country Rock style. From 1980 to 1984, Barry provided lead vocals and guitar for his popular Sundown Band, which started as a Duo and progressed to a well respected Country Rock Band.
Barry was also responsible for managing the Band’s career. Success of his management ability was shown many times with the Band’s steady bookings, excellent showmanship, promotional material and keeping with the current trends in Country Rock music. One of the many rewards for a job well done was being nominated for Duo of the year in the 1984 B.C. Country Music Awards.
Barry is a versatile entertainer with his abilities consisting of Country, Rock and a pleasurable hint of the Blues. He never fails to make Friends and Fans wherever he travels. Barry can be greatly credited for the success of the Band because of his vocals and unique guitar styling.
In 1985, Barry left the Sundown Band to further his own career. On his own, Barry worked as a single, Duo and preferably with the Barry Ensign Band. Barry maintained the same standard of professional entertainment and felt his Band was exciting and the response from the public had been very favourable. Barry began making plans of beginning a recording career in the very near future as well as continuing to produce dynamite sounds with his new Band. Watch for the “BARRY ENSIGN BAND”
FOOTNOTE:
As well as his career as a musician/vocalist, Barry has owned and managed a recording studio for six years between 1980 and 1986. He had his own record label (T.I.L.T.) on which he produced three singles and one E.P. (KARI SHANN, “A Song for You”, BOB RICHARDS, “Ain’t Got No Heart Cause You Broke It”, TYRONE MEYERS, “Honesty” and FIRST CUT Various artist’s E.P.) Barry also engineered several singles for other labels. The studio was very busy recording Radio Jingles and lots of Demo sessions. Barry also owned an established Publishing Co. – House of Barry Publishing.
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